American persimmon panna cotta
A simple, elegant, and delicious dairy-gelatin dessert featuring American persimmons! Made using the raw fruit to preserve the best texture and flavor.
Servings 4 cups
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- strainer or similar tool to remove persimmon seeds
Ingredients
For panna cotta base
- 1/2 cup organic heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups organic half and half (ALT: you can use ALL half and half and no cream for a lighter version)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar (ALT: organic light brown sugar for a richer flavor, but don’t use dark brown sugar / Or use the sugar-free powder/crystalline sweetener of your choice)
- 1/2 packet of gelatin (3.5 grams or about 1 1/4 tsp)
- 1 tbsp cold water (or cold milk) to bloom gelatin (Water is easier to work with, so use it if you're new to making panna cotta)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For persimmon topping
- 1 cup American persimmon pulp/puree
- 1 tsp lemon juice (to prevent oxidation)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp half and half
- 2 tbsp water
- dusting of nutmeg for top (optional)
- whipped cream for topping (optional)
Instructions
For panna cotta base
- Put small saucepan over medium heat and add cream, half-and-half, and sugar, whisking constantly as the temperature increases. Do NOT bring mixture to boil. You only want to heat it to the point that the sugar dissolves and the cream begins to steam. Remove pan from heat, add vanilla, stir, then set aside.
- Put 1.5 tablespoons of COLD water or milk into small microwave-safe bowl, then slowly pour gelatin over surface of liquid. Let sit and bloom for 5 minutes. Put into microwave for 10 seconds to dissolve. Slowly whisk the now-dissolved gelatin into warm cream-sugar mix, slowly whisking as you go to incorporate).
- Pour warm, liquid panna cotta into clear glass serving dishes. Refrigerate for 6-24 hours or up to three days before serving. If not serving within 24 hours, cover each panna cotta with plastic wrap or an equivalent as soon as it's chilled after ~1 hour (you don't want to capture condensation).
- After ~6 hours hours of panna cotta chilling, put persimmon pulp and other ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Carefully and evenly distribute persimmon topping onto the surface of each chilled panna cotta then smooth surface with a flexible spatula. Cover each dish with plastic wrap or equivalent to prevent surface oxidation/discoloration, especially if not serving same day. Return to fridge and let chill for at least one hour before serving.Optional: Add a bit of whipped cream and/or a dusting of nutmeg to the top before serving.